MINNEAPOLIS – Minnesota remained on edge Tuesday following several days of protests against immigration enforcement actions. These demonstrations intensified after federal agents used tear gas to disperse crowds of activists on Monday. The unrest follows a surge in enforcement activities, which included a tragic incident resulting in the fatal shooting of a Minneapolis woman, prompting state and local leaders to file lawsuits against the federal government.

On Monday, confrontations between federal agents and protesters unfolded in various locations throughout the state. In Minneapolis, agents deployed tear gas on a gathering that formed around immigration officers who were questioning an individual. Meanwhile, in St. Cloud, to the northwest, hundreds of demonstrators assembled outside a cluster of Somali-owned businesses to protest the arrival of ICE officers.

As night fell, tensions flared between protesters and law enforcement officers assigned to protect the federal building serving as the operations hub for the immigration crackdown in the Twin Cities.

The Department of Homeland Security has announced plans to deploy over 2,000 immigration officers to Minnesota, marking what ICE has described as its largest enforcement operation to date. In response, the state, in conjunction with Minneapolis and St. Paul, initiated legal action against the Trump administration on Monday, seeking to halt or curtail the enforcement surge.

The lawsuit argues that the Department of Homeland Security is infringing upon First Amendment and other constitutional rights. It claims the Trump administration, led by Republicans, is targeting Minnesota due to its progressive stance, Democratic leanings, and welcoming attitude towards immigrants, thereby impinging on free speech rights.

“This is, in essence, a federal invasion of the Twin Cities in Minnesota, and it must stop,” state Attorney General Keith Ellison said at a news conference.

Homeland Security says it has made more than 2,000 arrests in the state since December.

The days after Renee Good was shot in the head by an ICE officer while behind the wheel of her SUV have seen dozens of protests or vigils across the U.S. to honor the 37-year-old mother of three and to passionately criticize the Trump administration’s tactics.

In response to Monday’s lawsuit, Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin accused Minnesota officials of ignoring public safety.

“President Trump’s job is to protect the American people and enforce the law — no matter who your mayor, governor, or state attorney general is,” McLaughlin said.

The Trump administration has repeatedly defended the immigration agent who shot Good, saying she and her vehicle presented a threat. But that explanation has been widely panned by Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and others based on videos of the confrontation.

The government also faces a new lawsuit over a similar immigration crackdown in Illinois. More than 4,300 people were arrested last year in “Operation Midway Blitz” as masked agents swept the Chicago area. The lawsuit by the city and state says the campaign had a chilling effect, making residents afraid to leave home.

The lawsuit seeks restrictions on certain tactics, among other remedies. McLaughlin called it “baseless.”

Meanwhile, in Portland, Oregon, federal authorities filed charges against a Venezuelan national who was one of two people shot there by U.S. Border Patrol on Thursday. The U.S. Justice Department said the man used his pickup truck to strike a Border Patrol vehicle and escape the scene with a woman.

They were shot and eventually arrested. Their wounds were not life-threatening. The FBI said there was no video of the incident, unlike the Good shooting.

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Associated Press reporters Ed White in Detroit, Sarah Raza in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and Sophia Tareen in Chicago contributed to this report.